The Investing for Beginners Podcast - Your Path to Financial Freedom

Semiconductors Demystified w/ Nick Rossolillo: Supply Chain, Cyclicality, and Top Chip Stocks

Dec 11, 2025
Nick Rossolillo, the mind behind Chip Stock Investor, dives into the fascinating world of semiconductors. He demystifies what semiconductors are and shares insights on the complex supply chain, highlighting key players like TSMC and Nvidia. Nick discusses why semiconductors aren't the 'new oil,' instead suggesting data holds that title. With the AI boom fueling industry growth, he examines cyclical trends and potential pitfalls, and warns against overspending. Get ready for an enlightening ride through the tech backbone of our world!
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Semiconductors Are The Digital Infrastructure

  • A semiconductor is a material that can conduct or block electricity under different conditions and silicon is the dominant material used.
  • Nick Rossolillo calls the transistor one of the greatest inventions and silicon the infrastructure of the modern economy.
ANECDOTE

The Wafer Is Sliced Like Salami

  • Nick describes wafers as looking like a giant log of salami that gets sliced into thin rounds before processing.
  • He explains many dozens of intricate steps create microscopic patterns, then chips are diced and packaged for customers like Apple.
INSIGHT

Critical Bottlenecks Dominate The Supply Chain

  • The semiconductor supply chain has oligopolies at critical layers like EDA and fab equipment that many companies depend on.
  • Nick names Synopsys, Cadence, ASML, TSMC and chip designers like NVIDIA and AMD as key, interdependent players.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app